Timothée Chalamet’s Oscar campaign got a big boost Sunday when he won best actor for “Marty Supreme” at the Critics’ Choice Awards, the first major ceremony of this year’s Hollywood awards season.
He beat out rival Leonardo DiCaprio, whose hard-hitting political thriller “One Battle After Another” won the night’s top prize for best picture, as well as best director and best adapted screenplay for Paul Thomas Anderson.
In “Marty Supreme,” Chalamet plays a 1950s table tennis champion with big ambitions.
Based on a true story and benefiting from the Franco-American actor’s unique viral campaign, the film directed by Josh Safdie has become an unexpected global hit.
Chalamet said, “Josh, you’ve created a story about a flawed man with a relatable dream.”
“And you didn’t preach to the audience about what’s right and what’s wrong, and I think we should all be telling stories like that, so thank you for this dream.”
The film is based on the life of table tennis star Marty Reisman, who was inspired by the belief that he could achieve fame and fortune through a sport little known in the United States.
“Dune” superstar and two-time Oscar nominee Chalamet, who most recently played Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown,” trained rigorously in table tennis for the role.
The 30-year-old has made no secret of his ambitions to win multiple Academy Awards in the past, and now he will headline the ceremony on March 15.
-Oscar Speed-
The awards handed out by North America’s largest critics group could provide extra momentum to film campaigns as voting for the Oscars approaches.
This year, it was the first weekend of awards season usually occupied by the Golden Globes, which will take place in Beverly Hills the following weekend.
Jessie Buckley won best actress for her tragic role as William Shakespeare’s wife in the period drama “Hamnet.”
Jacob Elordi won best supporting actor for his portrayal of the Monster in “Frankenstein,” which also won three technical awards, while Amy Madigan won best supporting actress for playing the villain in the horror film “Weapons.”
Netflix’s global mega-hit musical “Kpop Demon Hunters” won best animated feature and best song.
“Sinners,” a period horror film that was also seen as a leading contender for several of this season’s top awards, had to settle for best original screenplay, young actor, score and casting and ensemble.
At the television awards, hospital saga “The Pit” won best drama, Hollywood satire “The Studio” won best comedy, and teen murder drama “Adolescence” won best limited series.
Best Talk Show winner Jimmy Kimmel mocked his feud with US President Donald Trump last year, prompting the late-night host to be taken off the air for a while.
Kimmel said, “Mr. President, thank you for all the ridiculous things you do every day.”
Kimmel joked, “The FIFA Peace Prize would have been better but that’s cool too.”
In the show’s opening monologue, host Chelsea Handler paid tribute to the late Rob Reiner, “the coolest guy in Hollywood.”
The beloved “When Harry Met Sally” director and his wife Michelle were found stabbed to death in their Los Angeles home last month.
“Anyone who has spent time with Rob Reiner knows that as soon as you met him, he felt like an old friend,” he said to emotional applause from the assembled A-listers and critics.
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